Friday, December 2, 2016

Republic Act 7277, or the Magna Carta for Disabled Persons, defined PWDs as "those suffering from restriction of different abilities, as a result of a mental, physical or sensory impairment, to perform an activity in the manner or within the range considered normal for a human being."

Based on the 2010 Census, there are 1,443,000 PWDs comprising 1.57% of the total population, in the country. In the 2013 elections, there were around 365,000 registered PWD voters.

What benefits are they entitled to based on legislation and government proclamations? Here's what we found.

20% discount on:

hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants and recreation centers
theaters, cinema houses, concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other similar places of culture, leisure and amusement
medicines in all drugstores
medical and dental services, including diagnostic and laboratory fees, in all government facilities (subject to guidelines to be issued by DOH in coordination with PhilHealth
medical and dental services, including diagnostic and laboratory fees, and professional fees of attending doctors in all private hospitals and medical facilities (in accordance with the rules and regulations to be issued by DOH in coordination with PhilHealth)
domestic air and sea travel
public railways and bus fare
skyways and expressways toll fees (for PWD owning a vehicle)

NOTE: Total amount of said purchase should not exceed P1,300 per calendar week without carry over of the unused amount

Employment opportunities:

all government agencies, offices or corporations shall reserve at least 1% of all positions for PWDs
private corporations with more than 100 employees are encouraged to reserve at least 1% of all positions for PWDs

Other priviledges:

express lanes in all commercial and government establishments
accessible biometrics registration and voting precincts
designated PWD-friendly public attorneys
educational assistance to pursue primary, secondary, tertiary, post tertiary, as well as vocational or technical education in both public and private schools
protection against verbal and non-verbal ridicule and vilification
P15,000 worth of benefits to qualified PhilHealth members or dependents in need of lower limb prosthesis
establishment of a Persons with Disability Affairs Office (PDAO) in every province, city and municipality
accessible website of all government agencies

To avail of these priviledges and perks, a PWD should secure and present a PWD ID. Details on registration and application may be found here.

Problems

But despite all these perks, NCDA claims that PWDs still encounter problems such as poverty and discrimination.

Months ago, photos of a disabled person and a dog denied access to a mall became viral. The incident turned out to be a simple misunderstanding, but it raised the issue of whether private establishments are considerate of the needs of PWDs.

Moreover, in the 2013 elections – considered to be more PWD-inclusive compared to past elections – only 82,000 out of the 365,000 registered PWD voters were able to cast their votes.

Many establishments still lack ramps, functioning elevators, and necessary facilities. Also, oppportunities are lost because of lack of proper funding for PWD programs.

In a dialogue, NCDA director Carmen Reyes Zubiaga said that PWDs are "not asking the government for special treatment, but only for them to address our reasonable accommodation.” – Rappler.com

SOURCES: National Council on Disability Affairs, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Philippine Statistics Authority, previous Rappler stories